I finally finished Burda Plus Spring Summer 2007 #402 and #406. It took so long because my role as a mother got in the way of my sewing. DD is involved with an AAU track team this summer. Last week, practices were held on Temple University's (Philadelphia) campus. I'm not comfortable with DD driving to the campus. There are traffic patterns - trolley tracks, lane changes - she isn't used to. So that left me to do the driving and the subsequent waiting. So I couldn't sew. Parenting would be so much fun if it weren't for all those darn parental responsibilities!The collar on this blouse consists of one layer of lightweight linen; no interfacing, no upper collar and no under collar. That makes the collar a little floppy. The model in the photograph solved the problem by wearing a necklace which is what I intend to do. This outfit cries out for jewelry. It also cries out for ironing. I know I should have ironed it before photographing it, but it's linen - why bother? The recommended fabric was something "crinkled". I don't do "crinkled". Linen is as "crinkled" as I can do.
I'm very happy to have discovered that I don't need lots of major fitting adjustments with BWOF. I just need to tweak a few things. Looking at the photo objectively, I think I'll begin to make the tops an inch or two longer. Also, I will probably make adjustments for my "protruding abdomen", "thick waist" - whatever you choose to call it. Since I can make a straight size without adding width to the waist, I need to concentrate on adjustments to get the side seams straight and perpendicular to the floor. One of my books on fitting covers this adjustment. I just have to find it.
Having the right tools for the job made this outfit so much easier. The skirt hem was finished by pressing up the hem allowance, satin stitching along the fold, and trimming away the excess. The edge stitch foot I bought years ago ( and seldom used) was invaluable for this hem treatment. The little wire in the middle prevents the fabric from bunching up and channeling under the satin stitching. I don't know how I could have done this treatment without it. The appliqué scissors I bought years ago (and seldom used) were very handy for trimming away the excess hem allowance. The moral of this story is "Keep buying those sewing supplies and notions. You'll never know when you will need them."
Pretty blog colors Elaray. I have that foot. I've had no idea what it was used for!
ReplyDeleteVery nice outfit! Great idea to fold up the fabric before doing the satin stitch edging.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to recommend only one sewing notion to a student it'd probably be those appliqué scissors. Arent' they graet?
This outfit looks great - I love it on you. I'm sure you will get a lot of use out of it this summer. I think I wear more skirts and dresses in summer than anything else.
ReplyDeleteGreat looking summer outfit! Looks very breezy and cool!
ReplyDeleteI love this outfit. I bet yo will be so cool over the summer. I have a piece of white linen that I have been reluctant to cut into. But after seeing this outfit, I am pulling it out for this summer.
ReplyDeleteAbout needing to make your tops 1-2" longer. I don't think you need to do that all around. And I I don't think you need a full FBA either. But I can see where it looks like your frot Horizontal Balance Line might not be parallel to the ground. This means that you need more length in the front at the bust line probably. I would play with seeing if you could add 1" of length and keep the same dart size. But you may need to increase the dart too. I have been playing with getting my HBL parallel to the floor and find that a conventional FBA does not always do the trick. I need more length that I can get with that adjustment. The other trick is to curve the front pattern 1" starting at 0 at the side seam and ending up 1" lower at the middle. Then whe you put your top on the bottom is parallel from having to go over the curves we have in front. I am not a fan of that adjustment, but for 1" it is the easy fix. HTH. Linda